---
title: Vantage Compute vs Do-It-Yourself Scripts and Spreadsheets | Vantage Compute
canonical: 'https://www.vantagecompute.ai/compare/diy-scripts-and-spreadsheets/'
description: >-
  Scripts and spreadsheets leave a separate identity on each cluster. Vantage
  Compute gives one identity and one audit trail across all of them.
updated: '2026-11-12'
---
# Vantage Compute vs Do-It-Yourself Scripts and Spreadsheets

A separate identity per cluster and chargeback in a spreadsheet cannot prove who used what. Vantage Compute gives one identity and one audit trail.

[Book Demo](https://www.vantagecompute.ai/contact/)

|               | Do-it-yourself scripts and spreadsheets     | Vantage Compute                                            |
| ------------- | ------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------- |
| Identity      | A separate identity on each cluster         | One identity across Slurm, Kubernetes and cloud            |
| Chargeback    | Kept by hand in a spreadsheet               | By user, team, project and GPU-hour, tied to each identity |
| Audit trail   | No single record of who used what           | One trail: every action logged and tied to one identity    |
| Access policy | Scripts and conventions, cluster by cluster | Deny-by-default, then granted per role                     |

## When each option fits

### Do-it-yourself scripts and spreadsheets: the better fit when

- You run one cluster for one team.
- Nobody asks you to report who used what.
- Nothing on the cluster is sensitive.

### Vantage Compute: the better fit when

- You run more than one cluster, or both Slurm and Kubernetes.
- Leadership or an auditor asks who used which GPUs.
- Teams compete for the same GPUs and need fair share.

## Frequently asked questions

### Do we have to rewrite our Slurm scripts?

No. Vantage Compute runs above Slurm and Kubernetes and lets existing HPC workloads run unchanged.

### How do we show leadership who used which GPUs?

Usage is tied to each identity and rolled up into chargeback by user, team, project and GPU-hour.

## More Comparisons

[All Comparisons →](https://www.vantagecompute.ai/compare/)

[**Hosted HPC services**](https://www.vantagecompute.ai/compare/hosted-hpc-services/) [**Slurm on Kubernetes alone**](https://www.vantagecompute.ai/compare/slurm-on-kubernetes/) [**GPU orchestration tools**](https://www.vantagecompute.ai/compare/gpu-orchestration-tools/)